Vacuum Degasser

Definition - What does Vacuum Degasser mean?

A Vacuum Degasser is a device that is used to remove dissolved gas from a liquid solution by lowering the pressure inside the vessel containing the solution. Vacuum degassing is often utilized in water treatment, laboratory testing and soil purification. Vacuum degassing is the only way to make certain grades of steel that are particularly useful in the automotive, aerospace and railroad industries. This process is also utilized for analyzing a material under controlled conditions including:

Air pressure

Temperature

Humidity

Altitude

Electromagnetic radiation

Microwave radiation

Petropedia explains Vacuum Degasser

During the production process, a product’s metal components usually become infused with excess amounts of gases and as a result, unwanted imperfections and side effects can impact the integrity or performance of the metal. Vacuum degassing processes involve the exposure of molten steel to a low-pressure environment so as to remove gases (chiefly hydrogen and oxygen). The effectiveness of any vacuum degassing operation depends on the surface area of liquid metal that is exposed to low pressure. This process is typically performed in a specially designed chamber known as a vacuum degasser. The reduced pressure inside the vessel or chamber causes the gas to become less soluble and separate from the liquefied material. After the vacuum degassing process is complete, the gas is removed from the vessel and the pressure is returned to normal. Vacuum degassing to remove carbon not only reduces imperfections, but also makes metals more ductile.

Vacuum degassing is practiced in the steel industry for purposes such as: